Drops of Time
by Nueva Yui Maxwell
Summary: A collection of Naruto-based drabbles. All genres, all characters, all pairings, all fun! Now with a 100 percent Jounin Love! Please R&R (25-02: 3 new)
1. Love

**Title**: Love  
**Pairing**: I don't want to spoil it....but there's a pairing, yes  
**Rating**: PG13 to be safe  
**Challenge**: "It shouldn't have been like this." at LJ community naruto100  
**Word-count**: 218 words  
**Beta read by**:istoria  
**AN**: This was inspired by a plotline ongoing at the LJ community rokudaime, which is a Naruto RP community.

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Love. It should not have been like this.  
He knew it was his own fault. But he was never known for having good timing.

Had he said something sooner, he would not have to feel the dull ache in his chest, constricting his heart, reducing the nice feeling of air coming in and out.  
Had he recognized it sooner, had he been honest with himself, he would not have to feel responsible for the lines of worries and sorrow on his friend's forehead.

And yet he could not get enough of her. Her lips had turned out to be the fountain of fresh water he had hoped for. Her presence had turned out to be the peaceful refuge shinobis strive to find in the mist of violence their life are.

He knew he could not, no, he _should_ not love her. But he could not walk away from the sweet addiction she was in his life. He could not deny her the comfort she was seeking in his arms. As the moonlight basked in its glow, her naked body intertwined with his, a glitter caught his lazy gaze. It was her gold ring. The ring his initials were not engraved on.

Because Mitarashi Anko did not belong to Hatake Kakashi.

Love. It should not have been like this.


	2. Passage

**Title**: "Passage"  
**Pairing**: None  
**Rating**: PG  
**Challenge**: "Teen"  
**Word-count**: 127 words  
Beta read by: **istoria**

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Passage

Time flows fast. One event can make the difference between childhood and adult life. Kohona's four senseis were painfully reminded of it.

For Gai, it was Lee's screams at Tenten's bloodstained dress, even though she swore she was not hurt.

For Asuma, it was Ino's heart-wrenching tears that seemly started for no reason and lasted more than a afternoon.

For Kakashi, it was the sight of Sakura's body ravaged by pain, her hands clutching her abdomen, teeth gritting and eyes swelling with unshed tears.

For Kurenai, it was Hinata's embarrassment as she tried to explain to Kiba exactly what Akamaru had found as a toy in her backpack.

As the Jounin Senseis watched their little girls pass into womanhood, they knew nothing would ever be the same.


	3. Favorite

**Title**: "Favorite"  
**Pairing**: If you look hard enough for it  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Challenge**: "After hours Jounins"  
**Word-count**: 128 words  
Beta read by: **istoria**

Loosely based on an RP at **rokudaime** . But it was bound to be written, to my opinion. I hope you will enjoy it!

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Favorite

Tension was palpable in the smoke-filled air. Kakashi had even caught one of his opponent wiping off a sweat drop. The Copy Nin silently cursed his still hidden Sharingan as he surveyed his options. It would have been useful at the moment, but any movement toward his headband would attract too much attention to him.  
The Jounin beside him drew a sharp breath before saying in a raspy voice, "Ready?"

The other Jounins slowly nodded and a roar filled the room.

"Royal flush! Come on, get it off!" laughed a shirtless Genma, proudly unfolding his winning hand. The pile of clothes grew as the losing players grumbled. As Kakashi's pants followed Kurenai's shirt, the Copy Nin couldn't help but smile. Strip Poker was definitely his favorite card game.


	4. Misconceptions

**Title**: "Misconceptions"  
**Pairing**: Genma/Shizune  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Challenge**: None  
**Word-count**: 271 words  
**Beta read by**: istoria

Shizune could not stand Genma. She thought he was arrogant, lazy and, worse of all, a womanizer. So when Tsunade told her she would accompany him on a mission, Shizune did the most unprofessional thing in her life. She protested, loudly. She was dismissed with a hand wave and the solid argument that she was the only qualified medicnin for the mission.

She started the mission by ignoring him completely. But after walking for almost two days, she couldn't help crack a smile at his teasing of Raido. When he complimented her first smile, she scoffed at him while scolding herself for letting him see her amusement.

She would always set up her tent as far from his as possible. She always retreated from the campsite the moment the sun set. But in the middle of a cold night, she caught Genma building a fire in front of her tent. He kept silent under her astonished gaze and left with only a smile when the flames had grown steady.

But it was in the heat of battle Shizune realised she had misjudged Genma. His arrogance was only confidence in his skills and in his team mates. His laziness was truly a calculated calm. And no womanizer would have taken such a hit like he did, just to protect her.

Shizune never really understood the overflow of tears when she finally found his faint heartbeat. She was also puzzled at the warm feeling in her heart and on her cheeks when Genma finally opened his eyes and smiled gently at her. She could only mentally thank Tsunade for sending her with them.


	5. Ambition

**Title**: "Ambition"  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Challenge**: None  
**Word-count**: 172 words  
**Beta read by**: istoria

She was fresh out of the Tokubetsu Jounin try-outs when she first started to work for him. He had doubt that such a shallow beauty would have been able to endure the harshness of his department, but she seemed eager and determined to make it through. Her father had been an asset to him and the scared torturer would have hated himself if he passed on such an opportunity.

As promised, he was highly pleased with her. She was cruel, she was ruthless, she was tough. She was his best. She rarely used any weapons, her wicked mind enough to break the toughest prisoner. And once she reached her goal, she would lick her lips and smile as she was looking at an exquisite sight.

One night he asked her why she liked her job so much. Her ruby lips turned into a sadistic smile as she simply answered: "Power. Over life. Over sanity." Morino Ibiki returned the same kind of smile and knew he had found his successor in Yamanaka Ino.


	6. Waltz

**Title**: Waltz  
**Rating**: R to be safe  
**Warning**: Mention of smex, violence. Overall fluffyness  
**Spoilers**: Everything up to the time jump  
**Words**: 227  
**Beta-reader**: istoria

His first step towards her was after Mizuki's execution. Asuma had kept a stoic face as his childhood friend was beheaded, but Kurenai knew he was raging inside. Their training session had been rough, leaving her sore and bruised. But Kurenai knew it was his way for dealing with anger. Shinobis may never show their feeling, but she knew he was not immune to it.

He took the second step on Sandaime's burial. Few Shinobis knew his real relationship with the one called "The Professor", but Kurenai knew they were more than Clansmates. Asuma had always admired and respected him, and had come to love him as a father. They sat silently on her balcony, watching the rain wash away the last reminders of the Sound Invasion. Shinobis never talk about their feelings, but that afternoon, she could read them in his eyes.

He made the third step after their fight with Itachi. Once the dust had settled down, he simply took her in his arms, breathing in her scent. Kurenai knew there would be no turning back as she led him to her bedroom. Taking all the time in the world, he did not leave a skin parcel unkissed before she begged him for more. Shinobis never engage in relationship, but when Asuma whispered three simple words to her, Kurenai knew she would be his forever.


	7. Musketeers

**Title**: Musketeers  
**Contest**: Three is a Magic Number  
**Word Count**: 235  
**Beta-reader**: THE OVERLORD OF ALL THAT IS AWESOME a.k.a Kazu-san

When they were Genins, they dubbed themselves the 'Three Musketeers'. Everywhere they would go, mischief would arise. When they graduated to Chuunin level, Sandaime dared to hope they would calm down. How sadly mistaken he was when he fell at the end of what they would consider their best prank. Years later, they became Tokubetsu Jounins, with a new Hokage to torment.

One sunny morning, they were innocently lounging in front of a closed room in the Hokage tower. Aoba was leaning against the wall, his face buried in a Jutsu book, Genma was flirting with a group of female Chuunins and Raido was looking out the window.

"Is it really going to work a second time? I mean, Godaime-sama must have heard about it…"

"I highly doubt it," was Aoba's calm answer, before a feminine screech filled the room in front of them. Genma turned around in time to see Shizune entering the room hastily. He looked at his accomplices and smiled.

"That's our cue, boys."

Aoba closed his book and motioned to Raido, who winked at the Chuunins before casually walking toward the exit, his team mates in tow. As they turned the corner , the door opened on Tsunade, her now green hair clashing against her angry red face. Konoha's self-proclaimed Three Musketeers could only laugh as they heard her threatening the manhood of whoever had put blue dye in her shampoo.


End file.
